My Pal Jane Eyre

For my short story collection, there is probably no greater influence on my writing than Jane Eyre. Particularly the first section when she's a child, but the whole thing, really. Last night, I went to a presentation by the Literary Society about Jane Eyre "as an autobiography" (as it is actually called.)


The guy made a big issue about the difference between the I speaker and the I of the story. That it isn't Jane Eyre narrating her own story, but Jane Rochester, who is the "heir" of Jane Eyre's struggles. I didn't take away as much as I had hoped from the lecture, but I did enjoy the time he spent focusing on Jane's identity reconfigured in relation to authority.


I see my short story collection as a kind of modern gothic Jane Eyre. Much of it deals with ideas of family and role models and the powerless vs. the powerful-- mostly dealing with children. And female children at that. So I liked when he talked about Jane's female role models mostly being teachers of how she didn't want to be. 


And I liked his focus on the liminal spaces in Jane Eyre-- when she's on the moors, how she's constantly sitting in windows-- and the portrayal of the instability of an unmarried female identity. The nature of true independence, stability, without excess. And rejecting any ideas except equality. 


So then I wanted to look at the website Focus Features has set up for the new film. The more I'm hearing and seeing of it, the more excited I'm actually getting. (Though-- truly startling to learn that at one time Ellen Page was attached to this project. Wow. That would have been a mistake. But I think the casting now is just where it should be. )


Plus, Fassbender's hot. For that matter, you know who else is? Cary Fukunaga. Who knew! The half Japanese, half Swedish hottie is same guy who directed the amazing Sin Nombre. 

But anyhow, back to Jane Eyre.